Mark Mroz, the community relations officer in the 2nd Police District, discussed serious crimes and some upcoming holiday outreach events at last week’s Friends of Summerdale Civic Association meeting.
The neighborhood is located within the 2nd district’s Police Service Area 1, which includes the territory south of Tyson Avenue, from Algon Avenue to Roosevelt Boulevard.
In the 28 days between civic meetings, there were 13 robberies in PSA 1, including three in the Summerdale area. Those robberies took place on the 900 block of Granite St., the 1200 block of Van Kirk St. and at Oxford Circle Beverage, at 5800 Oxford Ave. Arrests were made in the gunpoint robbery on Granite Street and the crime at the beer distributor.
An arrest was also made in a Nov. 16 shooting at a home on the 900 block of Carver St. A man shot his girlfriend after looking at pictures on her cell phone.
There were 30 residential burglaries in PSA 1. Mroz recommends that residents buy home-alarm systems to prevent burglars from spending all day looting a house.
In response to complaints of school buses parking on residential blocks, Mroz encouraged neighbors to call 911 and the bus companies. The buses can be ticketed, with the fine being $301.
Mroz said some of the rewarding times of his job are coming up.
For Thanksgiving, police officers citywide donate $5 apiece toward Operation Thanksgiving. In the 2nd district, 25 families will receive baskets with turkeys and trimmings. Background checks are done before dinners are provided, and Mroz recalls one woman being angry because she was denied.
“She had seven felonies,” he said, adding that one of the crimes was for beating someone with a hammer.
On Dec. 7, he and the 15th Police District community relations officer, Sharon Krause, will coordinate a party for 100 needy children. Two boys and two girls from each elementary school in the 2nd and 15th districts will be chosen to attend. The party will feature Santa Claus, gifts, a disc jockey, magician, face painting and pizza.
On Dec. 14, Mroz will participate in “Shop with a Cop,” a program made possible by a $1,000 grant from Target. Five families will be given $200 apiece to spend at the department store.
In other news from the Nov. 17 meeting:
• Free academic tutoring is available at Oxford Circle Christian Community Development Association, at 900 Howell St.
The tutoring is provided by Huntington Learning Center and paid for by the School District of Philadelphia. Children in kindergarten through 12th grade can sign up to improve their reading and math skills. Students in qualifying public schools who meet income qualifications will receive 45 hours of tutoring. Among the eligible schools are Samuel Fels High School and Laura H. Carnell, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Creighton elementary schools.
Call Huntington Learning Center at 215–879–3230 or the OCCCDA at 267–265–1709.
• Houseman Recreation Center, at 5091 Summerdale Ave. (at Godfrey Avenue), hosts Zumba fitness workouts every Friday at 7 p.m. There is a one-time registration fee of $5, and each class costs $5. Call 215–685–1240.
• Neighbors are hoping that a responsible owner will buy Pub 2000, located at Summerdale Avenue and Pratt Street. The bar, known for many years as Keenan’s, remains open, but has a large “for sale” sign on the outside of the building. The establishment has never been a nuisance, according to residents.
• State Sen. Shirley Kitchen will sponsor a free emergency preparedness and energy conservation workshop on Thursday, Dec. 1 from 6 to 8 p.m., at CORA, at 8540 Verree Road. The public is invited, and weatherization materials will be distributed.
• Friends of Summerdale Civic Association will meet again on Thursday, Jan. 19, at 7 p.m., at Houseman Recreation Center. ••
Reporter Tom Waring can be reached at 215–354–3034 or [email protected]
